By Martha Huntley | Partnerships Manager
A LETTER FROM OUR CEO
CHARLIE HAY
As we reflected on the year, I am filled with immense gratitude and pride in the progress we’ve made and the unwavering commitment of the AfriKids community. Thank you for being part of the journey with us.
This year our life-changing programmes across three new districts in northern Ghana went from strength to strength. These are communities ranked among the most challenging in the country. Our locally-led model, co-designed with local communities to address their specific priorities is enables communities to make deep and long-lasting changes themselves – securing a brighter future for their children.
Our project teams have demonstrated remarkable resilience, overcoming immense challenges to deliver holistic interventions that keep children healthy, safe, and in school. From crossing waterlogged areas in makeshift canoes to championing girls’ education and empowering women to build climate-resilient livelihoods, their dedication embodies the spirit of AfriKids. The results from the communities they work with are a testament to their dedication, to list a few headline change statistics:
Meanwhile, our fundraisers have worked tirelessly to secure support in a tough economic climate, spreading awareness of the transformative power of education and the vital role of our work in building a sustainable future. We are thrilled to have been joined by several new partners who share our commitment to local-led change.
This year also saw the launch of the new AfriKids brand. We were thrilled to unveil this new identity that celebrates our values and amplifies our story, ensuring it resonates with the growing community of changemakers standing with us. It reflects our commitment to putting the voices and aspirations of the people we work with at the heart of everything we do.
Looking ahead, we’re so excited to be building on all our learning from our current strategy and the last 20+ years to develop our new Rise Up model. The last 20 years has taught us that when change is led by communities themselves, it is meaningful and it lasts. We will be putting the power of communities to the test in a new pilot project to answer the question: can communities alone ensure all their children are educated with only skills and knowledge input? If our theory is proven correct, we will have a low-cost model that can be scaled to every community across Africa. Why is this important now? Becuase so many NGOS and governments focus on the supply of education - providing schoolbooks, uniforms and food - but so few are tackling the demand for education. Today 9 in 10 children in Sub -Saharan Africa are unable to read a simple sentence by the age of 10. Supply side models are not enough to ensure children's learning. A signature model that builds motive within commnities to put children in school and hold their schools accountable for their learning, could fill a vital gap.
By 2050, 40% of the world's children will live in Africa. We need to act today to ensure they have strong starts and brighter futures - not only for their own health and wellbeing, but to unlock their ability to break the cycle of poverty throughout Africa's communities.
While challenges remain, I am constantly inspired by the resilience of our staff, supporters, and, above all, the communities we serve. Their determination reminds us why we must—and will—always find a way to unlock opportunities for the next generation.
Thank you for standing with us.
Charlie
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